Notched Compactor Cleaner Finger

ABSTRACT

A cleaner finger assembly for cleaning compactor teeth on a compactor wheel of a compactor machine includes at least one cleaner finger assembly. The cleaner finger assembly includes a cleaner finger stack and a plurality of fasteners for mounting the cleaner finger stack. The cleaner finger stack includes at least one cleaner finger with a longitudinal axis, a tip for engaging a compactor wheel surface, and a plurality of mounting apertures. The cleaner finger also includes a notch extending from an edge of the cleaner finger toward the longitudinal axis. The cleaner finger failing at the location of the notch when the cleaner finger tip is engaged by debris with a tension force greater than a tip anchor tension capacity of the finger tip anchoring mechanism.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to compactor machines, and,more specifically, to cleaner fingers for cleaning debris from betweenadjacent rows of compactor teeth on an outer surface of a compactorwheel.

BACKGROUND

A compactor is a type of self-propelled work machine that may be used ina variety of applications, such as compacting fill dirt on aconstruction site or compacting debris in a landfill. Landfillcompactors crush and compact waste and refuse to reduce the size andbulk of the material in order to maximize the landfill's availablecapacity. To obtain maximum compaction and crushing of refuse and othermaterials, a typical landfill compactor will include specialized wheelswith a number of rigid compactor teeth. The compactor teeth arecircumferentially mounted on the outer surface of the compactor wheels,and are arranged in rows that are generally evenly spaced longitudinallyacross the outer surface. During operation, residual waste and othermaterials can collect on the wheels and between the compactor teeth,impeding subsequent compacting. To remove the residual material, acleaner finger assembly is typically used. The cleaner finger assembly,which includes a number of individual cleaner fingers, is mounted to thecompactor proximate the wheel. As the wheel rotates, the cleaner fingersscrape residual material from between the rows of compactor teeth.

Various types of cleaner fingers or bars have been used in the past toclean debris between adjacent rows of compactor teeth. In mostapplications, however, the cleaner teeth are thick, rectangular bars,oriented with respect to each compactor wheel in order to scrape cloggeddebris from the area between rows of compactor teeth. The cleanerfingers are generally designed to withstand load forces typical ofremoval of mud and small debris from the compactor wheels. However,landfill compactors often encounter large debris, such as refrigeratorsand mattresses, or harsh debris, like barbed wire and industrial waste.These materials create higher load forces than the cleaner fingers aredesigned to withstand. When high load forces occur, typical cleanerfingers often fail in ways that cause severe damage to the cleanerfinger assembly, as well as to the compactor machine frame and lowerpowertrain components. Damage of this type is both costly and timely torepair or replace.

Detachable wheel scrapers have also been developed. For example, U.S.Pat. No. 1,942,655 discloses a scraper assembly that pivots within ahousing. The scraper tool is adjustable secured in a socket or bore, andpivots as the scraper contacts materials on a wheel. When the scraper ismet with abnormal resistance during scraping, such as wedged stone, thecontinued forward travel of the wheel would move the scraper and scraperassembly upward, causing the scraper assembly to pivot. If the debris isnot cleared, or the scraper becomes stuck, the scraper assemblycontinues to pivot out of an operative position. The scraper assemblymust then manually be returned to an operative position.

SUMMARY

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a compactor wheel cleaningassembly for cleaning compactor teeth on a compactor wheel of acompactor machine is disclosed. The compactor wheel cleaning assemblymay include a rigid support arm and at least one cleaner finger assemblymounted to the rigid support arm. Each cleaner finger assembly mayinclude a cleaner finger stack with at least one stacked cleaner finger.The cleaner finger stack may include an engagement end for scrapingdebris from the compactor wheel and a mounting end opposite theengagement end for mounting the cleaner finger stack to the rigidsupport arm. Each cleaner finger may have a tip proximate the engagementend of the cleaner finger stack, as well as a plurality of mountingapertures proximate the mounting end of the cleaner finger stack. Eachcleaner finger may include at least one notch positioned between theengagement and mounting ends of the cleaner finger stack. The notch mayextend from an edge of the cleaner finger toward a center of the cleanerfinger. A plurality of fasteners may be used to mount the cleaner fingerstack to the rigid support arm.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, a cleaner finger assemblyfor cleaning debris from a compactor wheel of a compactor machine isdisclosed. The compactor machine may include a compactor body, aplurality of compactor wheels, and a compactor wheel cleaner assembly. Acleaner assembly support arm may be disposed proximate an outer surfaceof the compactor wheel. The cleaner finger assembly may include at leastone cleaner finger stack with at least one stackable cleaner finger.Each cleaner finger stack may include an engagement end for scrapingdebris from the compactor wheel, and a mounting end opposite theengagement end for mounting the cleaner finger stack to the cleanerassembly support arm. Each cleaner finger may have a tip locatedproximate the engagement end, a plurality of mounting aperturesproximate the mounting end, and at least one notch. The notch may bepositioned between the engagement end of the cleaner finger stack andthe mounting end of the cleaner finger stack, and may extend from anedge of the cleaner finger toward a center of the cleaner finger. Aplurality of fasteners may be used to mount the cleaner finger stack tothe cleaner assembly support arm.

In a further aspect of the present invention, a method of cleaningcompactor teeth on a compactor wheel of a compactor machine isdisclosed. The compactor machine may include a compactor body and aplurality of compactor wheels, with each compactor wheel having aplurality of teeth arranged in rows and evenly spaced longitudinallyacross an outer surface of the compactor wheel. The method of cleaningcompactor teeth may include fastening at least one cleaner finger stackto a rigid support arm using a plurality of fasteners. Each cleanerfinger stack may include at least one cleaner finger, with each cleanerfinger stack having an engagement end for scraping debris from thecompactor wheel and a mounting end opposite the engagement end. Eachcleaner finger may include at least one notch positioned between theengagement end and the mounting end of the cleaner finger stack. Thenotch may extend from an edge of the cleaner finger toward a center ofthe cleaner finger, and the cleaner finger stack may have a collectiveload force capacity at the at least one notch. Next, the method ofcleaning compactor teeth may include mounting the rigid support arm tothe compactor body, proximate the plurality of compactor wheels using aplurality of fasteners. Each cleaner finger stack may be positionedbetween pairs of adjacent tooth rows. The compactor machine may then beoperated in a forward or reverse in direction in order to compact debrisusing the plurality of teeth on the plurality of compactor wheels. Asthe compactor wheels turn, the engagement end of each cleaner fingerstack may scrape residual debris from between the pairs of adjacenttooth rows. After sustaining, at the engagement end of the cleanerfinger stack, a force greater than the collective load force capacity;the cleaner finger stack may fail at the positions of the at least onecleaner finger stack at the position of the at least one notch

These and other aspects and features of the present disclosure will bebetter understood upon reading the following detailed description, whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a landfill compactor machine in which cleanerfinger assemblies in accordance with the present disclosure may beimplemented;

FIG. 2 is a side view of one of the compactor wheels of the landfillcompactor machine of FIG. 1 with a portion of the compactor wheel and acleaner finger support frame broken away to show a compactor wheelcleaner assembly in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the compactor wheel and compactor wheelcleaner assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a compactor wheelcleaner assembly in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a stackable cleaner finger of a cleanerfinger assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a stackable cleaner finger of a cleanerfinger assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart describing steps for cleaning a compactor wheel inaccordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to specific embodiments orfeatures, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, corresponding or similar reference numberswill be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same orcorresponding parts. FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a landfillcompactor machine 10, according to a preferred embodiment of the presentdisclosure. The landfill compactor machine 10 is illustrated withcompactor wheel cleaner assemblies and cleaner finger assembliesaccording to the present disclosure.

The landfill compactor machine 10 includes a compactor body 12 having aplurality of compactor wheels 14 rotatably mounted thereto. One or moreof the compactor wheels 14 is operatively coupled to a power source,such as an internal combustion engine (not shown), by a powertransmission (not shown). Together, the engine and transmission drivethe compactor wheels 14 and propel the landfill compactor machine 10over the landfill surface. Each compactor wheel 14 has an outer surface16 on which a plurality of compactor teeth 18 are mounted. The compactorteeth 18 not only provide traction for the landfill compactor machine10, but also aid in crushing and compacting landfill waste, debris, andother materials. The plurality of compactor teeth 18 are arrangedcircumferentially around the outer surface 16 of each compactor wheel 14in a manner illustrated and described further hereinafter.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a compactor wheel cleaner assembly 20 may bemounted proximate each compactor wheel 14 by a cleaner assembly frame22, which is mounted to the compactor body 12 and/or an axle 24 of thecompactor wheel 14. Referring specifically to FIGS. 2 and 3, the cleanerassembly frame 22 may include an inboard frame member 26 mounted aboutthe axle 24 at an inboard side of the compactor wheel 14, and anoutboard frame member 28 mounted at an outboard side of the compactorwheel by a mounting bracket 30. Opposing cleaner assembly support arms32 extend between the frame members 26, 28 on the front and rear sidesof the compactor wheel 14. Mounted to each cleaner assembly support arm32 are a plurality of cleaner finger assemblies 36. Each cleaner fingerassembly 36 includes at least one cleaner finger stack 37 and aplurality of fasteners 76. The cleaner finger stack 37 may include oneor more stackable cleaner fingers 38. The cleaner fingers stack 37 mayalso include a mounting portion 39 for mounting the cleaner finger stackto the corresponding cleaner assembly support arm 32, and an oppositeengagement portion 41 for cleaning debris from the wheel 14 of thecompactor machine 10. The cleaner assembly support arms 32 may bearranged parallel to a longitudinal axis 34 of the compactor wheel 14 toensure debris is removed evenly during rotation and cleaning of thecompactor wheel.

The cleaner assembly support arms 32 and the cleaner finger assemblies36 are arranged so that the engagement portion 41 of each cleaner fingerstack 37 is disposed proximate the compactor wheel outer surface 16 oneither side of the compactor wheel 14. As best seen in FIG. 3, thecompactor teeth 18 are arranged in a plurality of tooth rows 42, spacedlongitudinally across the outer surface 16 of the compactor wheel 14.The cleaner finger assemblies 36 are consequently positioned on eitherside of the compactor wheel 14, between each pair of adjacent tooth rows42. With this arrangement, tips 40 of each cleaner finger 38 are able toscrape debris from between the compactor teeth 18 as the compactor wheel14 rotates in either direction.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a compactor wheelcleaner assembly 50 that may be mounted directly to the compactor body12 proximate one of the compactor wheels 14. The compactor wheel cleanerassembly 50 may include a cleaner assembly support arm 32 as describedabove and a body mounting bracket 52. The body mounting bracket 52 maybe anchored to the compactor body 12 using a plurality of fasteners (notshown). As illustrated and discussed above, the cleaner assembly supportarm 32 may be fastened to the compactor body 12 proximate one side ofthe compactor wheel 14, such that the cleaner finger tips 40 of eachcleaner finger 38 in each of the cleaner finger stacks 37 are properlypositioned between the pairs of adjacent tooth rows 42. A plurality ofgussets 56 may extend from the cleaner assembly support arm 32 toprovide additional support for each cleaner finger assembly 36. Anadditional compactor wheel cleaner assembly 50 that is a mirror image ofthat shown in FIG. 4 may be mounted to the compactor body 12 on theopposite side of the compactor wheel 14 so that the compactor wheel maybe cleaned by the cleaning finger assemblies 36 when it rotates ineither direction.

With reference to FIGS. 4-6, an embodiment of the stackable cleanerfinger 38 with a notched geometry is illustrated. The cleaner finger 38has a longitudinal axis 60 in a lengthwise direction, and is generallyrectangular in shape. As mentioned above, each cleaner finger 38 has atip 40 proximate the engagement portion 41 of the cleaner finger stack37, and a plurality of mounting apertures 74 proximate the mountingportion 39 of the cleaner finger stack. Fixing the cleaner finger stack37 to the support arm 32 is achieved via a plurality of fasteners 76.Each fastener 76 utilizes a spacer 78, a washer 80 and a fastener 76(e.g. a bolt). Since the number of stacked cleaner fingers 38 may vary,the height of the spacer 78 depends on how many cleaner fingers 38 arestacked during installation. For example, three stacked cleaner fingers38 in the cleaner finger stack 37 requires a shorter spacer 78 thanstacking one cleaner finger 38.

During installation of a bolt 76, one bolt is inserted first through thewasher 80 and the spacer 78. The bolt 76 is then inserted through themounting apertures 74 for reception by corresponding bore holes 84 inthe cleaner assembly support arm 32. The bore holes 84 are arrangedalong gussets 56 included on the support arm 32 to provide stability tothe cleaner finger stack 37. To further ensure proper installation ofthe fasteners 76, the width of the cleaner finger 38 proximate themounting portion 39 is greater than the width of the cleaner finger atits tip 40. FIG. 6 specifically illustrates the cleaner finger assembly36 of the present embodiment ready for installation on the cleanerassembly support arm 32.

Referring specifically to FIGS. 5 and 6, the body of the finger cleaner38 may be made from a rigid material such as a metal or a metallic alloy(e.g. low-strength steel), and may be burned to shape from a thin (e.g.25 mm) plate. As mentioned above, as the tip 40 of the cleaner finger 38encounters debris caught in the compactor wheel 14, a certain amount offorce is placed on the engagement portion 41 of the cleaner finger stack37 (FIG. 4). Without a predictable failure location, the cleaner fingers38 would likely fail by breaking off or stripping out the bore holes 84.This type of failure leaves consumers with time consuming and expensiverepairs, cutting down on efficiency and economy of the compactormachines 10. As such, the present finger cleaner 38 includes apredictable failure location in the form of notches 86. The notch 86ensures the finger cleaner 38 will fail at the location of the notchbefore any fasteners 76 fail by ripping out of the bore holes 84.

Each notch 86 is positioned along the body of the cleaner finger 38between the tip 40 and the mounting apertures 74. Being generallyrectangular in shape, the cleaner finger 38 includes a pair of opposingside edge 90, 92. The notch 86 extends from the side edges 90, 92 towardthe center longitudinal axis 60 and is dimensioned to create apredictable point of failure for the cleaner finger 38. Failure, as willbe discussed more below, may include bending or breaking of the cleanerfinger 38 at the notch 86. In the illustrated embodiment, each notch 86is generally shaped as an obtuse triangular prism; however, otherformations (e.g. hemispherical) are also contemplated to facilitatefailure.

Those skilled in the art will understand that the geometricconfiguration of the cleaner finger assembly 36 is illustrated anddescribed herein is exemplary. The mounting end 41 of the cleaner finger38 may have any shape necessary to facilitate attachment to the cleanerassembly support arm 32, and the cleaner finger tip 40 may have othershapes as necessary for effectively cleaning debris from the compactorwheel outer surface 16. Additional factors may be taken intoconsideration in designing the cleaner finger assembly 36, andalternative configurations are contemplated.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The teachings of the present disclosure are beneficial to compactingmachines, and more particularly to landfill compacting machines. Aseries of steps involved in cleaning compactor teeth 18 on a compactorwheel 14 of a compactor machine 10 is illustrated in a flowchart formatin FIG. 7. As shown therein, in a first step 100, at least one notchedcleaner finger 38 is stacked to form at least one cleaner finger stack37. The notched cleaner finger 38 includes at least one notch 86. Astacked plate design allows a load force capacity of the stacked cleanerfingers to be increased or decreased by adding or subtracting a singlecleaner finger. For example, a cleaner finger stack having only onecleaner finger may have a theoretical bolted joint capacity of 11 kN,while a cleaner finger stack having two cleaner fingers may have atheoretical bolted joint capacity of 47 kN. Adding a third cleanerfinger to the cleaner finger stack increases the theoretical boltedjoint capacity to 100 kN; but, with a capacity as high as 100 kN, theremay be a risk that the mounting fasteners fail before the individualcleaner fingers fail, thereby causing costly and timely damage to thelandfill compactor.

In a second step 102, the cleaner finger stack 37 is fastened to therigid support arm 32 using a plurality of fasteners 76. In a third step104, the rigid support arm 32 is mounted to the compactor body proximateone of the plurality of compactor wheels using a plurality of fasteners.This may be accomplished through any means known in the art forfastening pieces of equipment together, including, but not limited tousing bolts, spacers and washers.

After installation, the compactor machine 10 is ready for operation insteps 106 and 108. With each cleaner finger stack 37 being positionedproximate the compactor wheel 14 and between pairs of adjacent rows ofcompactor teeth 18, the compactor machine 10 may be operated in bothforward and reverse directions. During operation in either direction, atstep 110, the tips 40 of the cleaner fingers 38 in each cleaner fingerstack engage the compactor wheel 14 and scrape residual debris frombetween the pairs of adjacent rows of compactor teeth 18.

During operation, it is common for the compactor wheels 14 to collectnot only residual debris, but also larger pieces of material may becometrapped, including barbed wire or other similar materials. When thisoccurs, the cleaner finger stack 37, at step 112, sustains load forcesgreater than the cleaner finger stack's theoretical bolted jointcapacity, causing one or more of the cleaner fingers 38 to fail. Thecleaner finger assemblies 36 illustrated and described herein aredesigned to fail in a way that minimizes damage to mounting bars,machine frames, lower powertrain components and other components of thecompactor machine 10 while reducing maintenance costs for the machineowner. At the final step 114, at least one notched cleaner finger 38will fail at the position of the at least one notch 86. The geometry ofthe notch 86 allows the cleaner finger 38 to fail by bending or breakingbefore the other pieces of the cleaner assembly are destroyed.

While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown anddescribed with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understoodby those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may becontemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems andassemblies without departing from the scope of what is disclosed. Suchembodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the presentdisclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalentsthereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A compactor wheel cleaner assembly for cleaningcompactor teeth on a compactor wheel of a compactor machine, thecompactor wheel cleaning assembly comprising: a rigid support arm; acleaner finger assembly mounted to the rigid support arm, each cleanerfinger assembly comprising: a cleaner finger stack including a stackedcleaner finger, the cleaner finger stack including an engagement end forscraping debris from the compactor wheel and a mounting end opposite theengagement end for mounting the cleaner finger stack to the rigidsupport arm, each cleaner finger having a tip proximate the engagementend and a plurality of mounting apertures proximate the mounting end,each cleaner finger including a notch positioned between the engagementend and the mounting end, the notch extending from an edge of thecleaner finger toward a center of the cleaner finger; and a plurality offasteners for mounting the cleaner finger stack to the rigid supportarm.
 2. The compactor wheel cleaner assembly of claim 1, wherein therigid support arm includes at least one gusset, each gussetcorresponding to one cleaner finger assembly and including a pluralityof bore holes, each bore hole dimensioned to accommodate installation ofone fastener.
 3. The compactor wheel cleaner assembly of claim 2,wherein each fastener is a bolt installed from a bottom surface of thecleaner finger the , through one of the plurality of mounting aperturesof each cleaner finger in the cleaner finger stack, and into one of thegusset bore holes.
 4. The compactor wheel cleaner assembly of claim 1,wherein a width of the engagement end of the finger cleaner at the tipis smaller than a width of the cleaner finger proximate the mounting endof the finger cleaner stack.
 5. The compactor wheel cleaner assembly ofclean 1, wherein the mounting end of the finger cleaner stack has agreater load force capacity than a load force capacity of the fingercleaner stack at the location of the notch.
 6. The compactor wheelcleaner assembly of claim 5, wherein the cleaner finger stack isarranged such that when debris on the compactor wheel engages theengagement end of the cleaner finger stack with a force greater than theload force capacity of the cleaner finger stack at the location of thenotch, the cleaner finger will fail at the location of the notch.
 7. Acleaner finger assembly for cleaning debris from a compactor wheel of acompactor machine, the compactor machine having a compactor body, aplurality of compactor wheels, and a compactor wheel cleaner assemblywith a cleaner assembly support arm disposed proximate an outer surfaceof the compactor wheel, the cleaner finger assembly comprising: acleaner finger stack, each cleaner finger stack including a stackablecleaner finger, each cleaner finger stack including an engagement endfor scraping debris from the compactor wheel and a mounting end oppositethe engagement end for mounting the cleaner finger stack to the rigidsupport arm, each cleaner finger having a tip proximate the engagementend and a plurality of mounting apertures proximate the mounting end,each cleaner finger including a notch positioned between the engagementend and the mounting end, the notch extending from an edge of thecleaner finger toward a center of the cleaner finger; and a plurality offasteners for mounting each cleaner finger stack to the cleaner assemblysupport arm.
 8. The cleaner finger assembly of claim 7, wherein each ofthe compactor wheels includes a plurality of teeth arranged in rows andevenly spaced longitudinally across an outer surface of the compactorwheel.
 9. The compactor wheel cleaner assembly of claim 7, wherein thecleaner assembly support arm includes at least one gusset, each gussetcorresponding to one cleaner finger assembly and including a pluralityof bore holes, each bore hole dimensioned to accommodate installation ofone fastener.
 10. The compactor wheel cleaner assembly of claim 7,wherein each stackable cleaner finger includes six mounting apertures,and wherein each finger cleaner stack is mounted to the cleaner assemblysupport arm using five fasteners.
 11. The compactor wheel cleanerassembly of claim 10, wherein each of the five fasteners are insertedthrough corresponding mounting apertures in each finger cleaner in thecleaner finger stack, and installed in one of the gusset bore holes. 12.The compactor wheel cleaner assembly of claim 11, wherein each cleanerfinger includes two notches, the two notches extending from opposingedges of the cleaner finger toward the center of the cleaner finger. 13.The compactor wheel cleaner assembly of claim 12, wherein each cleanerfinger stack includes two stacked cleaner fingers, each cleaner fingerstack having, after mounting, a first collective load force capacity atthe location of the cleaner finger notches and a second collective loadforce capacity at the mounting end.
 14. The compactor wheel cleanerassembly of claim 13, wherein the second collective load force capacityis greater than the first collective load force capacity such that whendebris on the compactor wheel engages the cleaner finger tip with aforce greater than the first collective load force capacity, the fingercleaner fails at the location of the notch.
 15. The compactor wheelcleaner assembly of claim 14, wherein the first collective load forcecapacity is 47 kN.
 16. The compactor wheel cleaner assembly of claim 8,wherein each cleaner finger tip is dimensioned to engage the compactorwheel between adjacent rows of teeth.
 17. A method of cleaning compactorteeth on a compactor wheel of a compactor machine, the compactor machinehaving a compactor body and a plurality of compactor wheels, eachcompactor wheel having a plurality of teeth arranged in rows and evenlyspaced longitudinally across an outer surface of the compactor wheel,the method comprising: stacking a notched cleaner finger to form acleaner finger stack, the notched cleaner finger having a notch;fastening the cleaner finger stack to a rigid support arm using aplurality of fasteners, each cleaner finger stack having an engagementend for scraping debris from the compactor wheel and a mounting endopposite the engagement end, the cleaner finger stack having acollective load force capacity at the notch; mounting the rigid supportarm to the compactor body proximate one of the plurality of compactorwheels using a plurality of fasteners, the support arm being installedsuch that each cleaner finger stack is positioned between pairs ofadjacent tooth rows; operating the compactor machine in a forward orreverse direction; compacting debris using the plurality of teeth on theplurality of compactor wheels; scraping, by the engagement end of eachcleaner finger stack, residual debris from between the pairs of adjacenttooth rows; sustaining, at the engagement end of the cleaner fingerstack, a force greater than the collective load force capacity; failingof the notched cleaner finger at the position of the notch.
 18. Themethod of cleaning compactor teeth of claim 17, wherein each cleanerfinger stack includes two cleaner fingers.
 19. The method of cleaningcompactor teeth of claim 18, wherein the collective load force capacityis 47 kN.
 20. The method of cleaning compactor teeth of claim 17,wherein the failing step further includes bending or breaking of eachcleaner finger in the cleaner finger stack.